Japan to Propose Free Trade in 53 Eco Items

Geneva, Feb. 17 (Jiji Press)--Japan plans to propose at the World
Trade Organization on Thursday to liberalize trade in 53 eco-friendly items,
including electric vehicles, informed sources said Wednesday.
By presenting a list of items, Japan intends to promote talks on
environmentally friendly products in the WTO's stalled Doha round of global
free trade negations, the sources said.
Last November, Japan proposed subjecting items such as eco-friendly
vehicles including gasoline-electric hybrids to free trade.
Japan newly plans to call for scrapping or lowering tariffs on four
items in the category of lighting equipment using light-emitting diodes,
four in energy-saving refrigerators and one in liquid crystal displays, in
addition to 22 items in auto and related products.
Since the 2001 start of the Doha round, no progress has been made
in eco-friendly products, which are to be covered in a final agreement of
the round, as talks are stalled on major areas such as agriculture and
industrial goods.
The United States and European Union have called for free trade in
products related to solar power and other renewable energy sources, while
Japan has proposed including energy-efficient products in a trade
liberalization list.